While some of our gut bacteria are the same for all people, we each have our own unique gut bacteria or gut microbiome. It helps us digest certain foods that have not been digested in the stomach It produces vital vitamins, helps to strengthen our immune system and interacts with many nerve cells and hormone-producing cells in the intestinal system. It aids in the production of certain vitamins such as B and K. Having healthy bacteria in our gut is vitally important for proper function of the body and aids in bone density, a strong immune system, and a healthy nervous system.

CITATION:

“According to WebMD, these include relief from diarrheal symptoms, colic in babies, lung infections, ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, H pylori and bacterial vaginal infections, and eczema. In fact, regarding Lactobacillus only, a quick search of the National Institutes of Health PubMed will provide you with more than 5,300 clinical studies outlining its effects under a variety of conditions.”

As always, if you’re unsure about taking probiotics for any particular ailment be sure to check with your regular medical practitioner.

Development of the Gut Microbiome and Intestinal Health

The gut microbiome is present in every individual from birth. From then on the good and bad bacteria that form depend on the nutrition of the individual. This continues throughout our lives and while nutrition plays an important role so do other environmental factors.

How do medications and diet affect our Good and Bad Bacteria?

Medications such as birth control pills, antibiotics, and NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as those used for arthritis can all have a negative effect on the diversity of our gut bacteria. Scientists have discovered that one in four people lack the healthy bacteria which break down our food in order to maintain a healthy digestive system.

Is your intestinal health at risk? In order for our bodies to have proper intestinal health our gut microbiome must be properly maintained.

Diets which are high in processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sugar wreak havoc on our intestinal health.

Chronic stress and infections also affect the bacteria within our guts.

Various toxins in our diets like wheat or manufactured seed oils can disrupt our intestinal health by causing leaky gut.

Another factor for poor intestinal health is the lack of fermented foods in our diet.

Taking antibiotics (although these can be life-saving) will wipe out all bacteria in the gut – not just the disease infecting ones. Therefore it is wise to take a probiotic supplement to help repair and re-balance your gut bacteria after a course of antibiotics.

As you can see there are many environmental factors which can have a negative effect on our intestinal health and gut microbiome.

What Happens When our Gut Bacteria are Compromised?

Staphylococcus bacteria in the gut.

A healthy intestinal tract keeps good and bad gut bacteria contained so they do not migrate into the bloodstream. Within the small and large intestines are areas where the presence of gut bacteria is normal, but when intestinal health is jeopardized they can escape. This happens when the intestinal barrier is disrupted and causes many of the health problems we see today. This is referred to as Leaky Gut Syndrome. The lining of our small intestine has small finger like projections called villi which help in the absorption of digested foods. When the environment in our gut is disrupted and inflamed the villi become flattened and are unable to function adequately. This allows some bacteria or even minute food particles to permeate the lining and feed into the blood stream. When the immune system senses foreign bodies in the blood stream it immediately releases histamines to combat the invader and can set up problems with such things as allergies. The scary thing about this is that an individual may not be experiencing any type of gut problem at this time. Research However, there are other health problems which are signs that our intestinal health is in danger.

When the intestinal barrier is compromised an individual may develop poor intestinal health and a leaky gut, but many people experience different effects. The majority of these problems stem from our diet our lifestyle and various medications such as those previously mentioned. A good Gut Microbiome is vital for the proper functioning of our immune system. The following is a list of diseases which may surface if we experience leaky gut syndrome.

Problems with fluctuating weight

Various skin problems (Psoriasis/Eczema)

Heart Failure

Thyroid Problems

Problems with joints (Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Various mental health problems (Depression, Brain Fog, Autism)

Celiac Disease

Allergies

Type 1 Diabetes

These problems can occur because when the intestinal barrier is penetrated not only can it cause leaky gut syndrome, but also affects other organs and tissues. . Included in this group are the kidneys, liver, pancreas, brain, and the skeletal system, making it easy to understand why the various health problems can exist.

We now know that our intestinal health, which includes gut microbiome, is very important for excellent health. It is for this reason that next we will be discussing microbiome health and permanent weight loss.